Mercator Forum for Migration and Democracy

The Mercator Forum on Migration and Democracy (MIDEM) examines how migration shapes democratic policies, institutions and cultures and is shaped by them at the same time. It examines forms, instruments and processes of political processing of migration in democratic societies - in individual countries and in a comparative view of Europe. Central aspects of the research project are the perception of migration by democratic societies, the social fault lines that become visible as a result and potential coping strategies.

The effects of migration on democratic discourses, stakeholders and cultures were analyzed and a European map of political and socio-cultural conflicts was created. Subsequently, since 2021, MIDEM has been focusing on the democratic processing of migration, on institutional control and interaction processes and on the role of civil society actors.

MIDEM investigates:
- Belonging, identity and cohesion
- Political and social polarization
- National governance of migration
- Local governance of migration

MIDEM's mission is to
- to promote national and international networking and interdisciplinary communication on migration.
- to produce regular country reports and cross-sectional studies on key issues at the interface between migration and democracy.
- to develop pan-European recommendations for the democratic handling of migration.
- to advise European, national and local policy-makers and civil society.

Further information and current vacancies can be found on the project homepage.

Project staff:

Scientific management

Prof. Dr. Hans Vorländer (Director)
Dr. Oliviero Angeli (Scientific Coordinator)

Project management

Cornelia Eichler (Project Manager)

Research Group 1 - Crisis Discourses on Migration and Integration

Dr. Kristina Chmelar (Research Associate)
Marta Kozłowska, M.A. (Research Associate)
Giovanni da Ghantuz Cubbe, M.A. (Research Associate)

Research Group 2 - Populism

Dr. Maik Herold (Research Associate)
Cyrill Otteni, M.A. (Research Associate)
Janine Joachim, M.Sc. (Research Associate)

Research Group 3 - Institutional Processing of Migration

Dr. Mariana Mendes (Research Associate)
Felix Hormig, M.A. (Research Associate)

Research Group 4 - Migration in urban and regional contexts

Dr. Steven Schäller (Research Associate)
Dipl.-Soz. Katja Lindner (Research Associate)
Ender Yilmazel, M.A . (Research Associate)

Communication and knowledge transfer

Johanna Haupt, M.A . (Communication Manager)
Mathilde Rave, B.A. (Transfer and Communication Manager)
Julia Müer, Dipl (Event Manager)

Assistants

Barbara Zippelius (WHK)
Julia Tenzer (WHK)
Hanna Kahler (SHK)
Friedrich Hausmann (SHK)